As quickly as it disappeared, “artist-led collective” Lost, the nightclub that took over the Odeon in Covent Garden, has announced that it will return, with its first night back on Saturday January 24.
Last summer, wild parties began to shake the walls of the former Odeon Cinema on Shaftesbury Avenue, once the grand Saville Theatre. The brainchild of Secret Cinema founder Fabien Riggall, Lost combined DJ sets, live bands, tarot readings, art exhibitions and surreal film screenings (like Mulholland Drive and Eyes Wide Shut) in one steamy, sprawling venue. Club kids, cinephiles, fashion and finance girls flocked to the parties. Celebrity rumours swirled.
Then, almost as quickly as Lost had sprung into central London, the party seemed to vanish into thin air. A New Year’s Eve event was supposed to be the final shindig in the current venue, with speculation that the building was being demolished after that. But this week, Lost revealed on Instagram that the parties would soon be returning. “After ongoing conversations we have secured an extension for the building,” the statement announced.
Today, Lost has announced that it will re-open on Saturday January 24 for a “limited time”. Declining further comment, the announcement to its email subscribers simply stated that it will be open from 10pm to 6am, with tickets sold only on the door. The no-phones policy remains, and the line-up will be revealed on the night.
Apart from the no-phones policy, Lost was loved by many for its loose format, where it felt that anything could happen: a surprise performance; a celeb sighting; a chance meeting in one of the building’s many small rooms. By winter, as word got out and queues snaked around the block, regulars wondered whether the “secretive” sheen was beginning to wear off.
Avoiding exclusivity without becoming too mainstream will be a challenge – and Lost has given no hint as to whether anything about the party will change to avoid the big crowds.
Sign up on the Lost website for updates from the event organisers.
